Electric humidifier



June 23, 1931. c c, MOCLOUD 1,811,727

ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER Filed Sept. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l /6 Jmnntoc Filed Sept. 17. 1 29 2 Sheets-Sheet I 11111:: I I. :1:

5 ze zz gwoemtw Patented'June 23,1931;

cLnroma c. rrccLoun, 011' MAYVILLE, Wiscons n "ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER Application filed September 17, 1929. Serial No. 393,295.-

This invention relate's'to humidifiers, and has for'one of its objects to provide a portable and highly attractive device of this character which shall be capable of maintaining ,6 the atmosphere of a home, office, business place, church and the like supplied with the required or desired amount of moisture.

, To attain the foregoing and otherobjects, the nature of which will appear as the descrip'tion proceeds, the [invention compre hends the'provision of a humidifier which will embody an attractive cabinet having an air inlet and an air outlet, a water pan arranged within the cabinet and a heating element arranged within the cabinet for the purpose of inducing a current of air through the cabinet to eflt'ect the discharge of the vapor from the cabinet and its diffusion 7 throughout the atmosphere of the room or other place in which the humidifier is located.

I I The invention further comprehends the provision of a humidifier of the character stated wherein the cabinet shall be open at its lower side to provide an air inlet opening and provided at its front side with a grille through which the vapor laden air asses from the cabinet, and which shall emody a deflector arranged within the cabinet and adapted to direct the vapor laden air through the grille. The invention further comprehends the provision of a humidifier of the character stated which shall embody a water supply :55 tank and readily adjustable means for controlling the' flow of water from the tank to the an e invention further comprehends the provision of a humidifier of the character 1 stated wherein the cabinet shall embody a top hinged so as to permit it to be-raised when it is desired to gain access to thewater supply tank and to the means for controlling the flow of water from the tank to the pan, and wherein the hinge shall be of such construction as to permit the top to be raised when the cabinet occupies a position with its rear wall against a wall of a building,

The invention still further comprehends the provision of a humidifier of'the character stated wherein the heating element shallbe of the electrical type, wherein a plug-in box for the heating element shall be arranged at therear side of the cabinet, and wherein a switch for the heating element shall be ar- '55 ranged at one lateral side of thewcabinet.

- The invention is hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein;-

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the humidifier; v

Figure, 2 is a sectional view taken on a vertical plane extending centrally and longitudinally through the humidifier;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the B5 horizontal plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a View in front elevation of a fragmentary, portion of the top front bar of the cabinet of the humidifier.

Thecabinet of. the humidifier is made from sheet metal and comprises lateral sides 1 and 2, a rear side 3, a top 4, a lower front bar 5, and an upper front barb. The sides 1, 2 and 3 areformed integrally and the sides '1 and 2 are provided at their front edges with inturnedflanges 7 to which the bars 5 and 6 are secured. The lower side of the cabinet is open,'and the cabinet is supported by feet 8 to permit air to freely enter the open lower side thereof. The feet 8 preferably consticorners of the cabinet. A grille 9 is arranged across the front of the cabinet and extends from the bar 5 to the bar 6 and from one of t the flanges 7 to the other. The bar 5 is of U-form in cross section to'receive the lower edge portion of the grille 9, and the grille is secured thereto and to the bar 6 and flanges 7. The .upper edge of the side 3 is located below the corresponding edges of the sides 1 and 2 and flanges 7, anda channel bar 10 is formed integrally with said edge of the side 3. i The channel bar 10 is open at its endsand has its open side arranged at the rear side of the ca inet, The upper horizontal flange 11 of the channel bar 10 is arranged in the plane of the upper edges of the sides 1 and 2 and flanges 7 and has its rear free edge rolled to provide a hinged barrel 12 which is located forwardly of the side 3 and at the lower side of the flan go. The top 1 rests upon the upper edges ot' the sides 1 and 2 and flanges 7 and upon the channel bar flange 11. The top 4: is provided with a depending flange 13 which surrounds the upper end portion of the cabinet, and it is connected to the channel bar 10 by a pintle 14, which passes through the hinged barrel 12 and through the lateral side portions of the flange 13.

The rear side portion of the flange 13 is located slightly forward of the side 3, and moves into the channel bar 10 when the top l is raised. The provision of the side 3 with the channel bar 10, and the pivotal connection between the top l and the upper horizontal flange 11 with the channel bar, permits the top to be raised when the cabinet is arran ged with its side 3 against the wall of the building, and also prevents moisture or dust from escaping from the cabinet the point where the top is hinged thereto.

Bars 15 extend across the lower open side of the cabinet from the side 3 to the grille 9, and are connected to said side and to the lower bar 5 by angle irons 16. A heating element consisting of a pair of resistance coils 17 are mounted within the cabinet upon th bars 15 and insulated therefrom by asbestos shields 18. A water pan 19 is arranged within the cabinet above the resistance coils 17 and is supported from the bars 15 by brackets 20. The pan 19 is supplied with water from a tank 21, which is arranged within the cabinet and mounted upon a bracket 22 secured to the side 1. A pet-cock 23 is connected to the lower end of the tank 1 and discharges into the pan 19. The petcock 23 is provided with a valve stem 24-, which has its upper end arranged near the top of the cabinet and is provided at said end with a hand wheel 25. The hand wheel 25 is readily accessible after the top 4 has been raised, and in view thereof, the pet-cock 23 may be easily adjusted to cut oil or regulate the flow of water from the tank 21 to the pan 19. The tank 21 is provided with a filling opening 26, which is closed by a screw plug 27 also easily accessible after the top l has been raised.

A plug-in box 28 is arranged within the cabinet and secured to the side 3. A lead cord, not shown, connected to the sockets of the plug-in box 28 extends through the side 3 and is adapted to be connected to an electric outlet socket of the building; in which the humidifier is located. A conduit pipe 29 ex tends downwardly from the plug-in box 28 to points adjacent the resistance coils 17. A switch box 30 is arranged within the cabinet and secured to the side 2, andthe operating lever 31 of the switch within the box extends through said side. A. conduit pipe 32 extends downwardly from the switch box 30 to a point adjacent the resistance coils 17. The resistance coils 17 are connected to the plugs of the plug-in box 23 and to the switch of the switch box by conductors 33. The conductors are provided with asbestos covers and extend from the sockets and switch through the conduit pipes 29 and 33 to the resistance coils 17.

A copper deflector 34,- is arranged within the cabinet and serves to direct the air entering the open lower end of the cabinet, and the vapor generated within the cabinet through the grille 9 and the openings 35 formed in the upper bar 6. The deflector embodies a vertical portion 34: which is arran {red in spaced parallel relation to the side 3 and extends from a point below the pan 9 to a point above the horizontal center of the cabinet. The deflector 34 has an arcuate upper portion 34", which extends from the upper edge of the vertical portion 3 1 to the upper edge of the upper bar 6. The deflector 3a is provided at its lower end with a rearwardly directed flange 36, which contacts with the side 3 and serves to prevent air and moisture from entering" the space between the deflector and the side and. top 4.

The deflector 34; is secured at its side edges to the sides 1 and 2, and is secured at its upper edge to the upper bar 6. The deflector 34 is provided with an openine' 37 for the pasot the valve stem The screw plus: 27 oil the tank 21 is arranged rearwardly of the deflector 34. so as to permit. when the top is raised, free access thereto for the purpose of filling: the tank.

It should be apparent from the foresroing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that the humidifier may be readily connected to an electric outlet plus; of a home oflice, business place, church or the like. that it may be arranged against a wall of the building: in which it is located, an d that it will present a neat and attractive appearance. When the current is turned down by manipulating the switch lever 31, the heat generated in the resistance coil 17 will cause a current o't air to flow through the cabi' net and will also cause the water in the pan 19 to vaporize. The air flows upwardly and forwardly through the cabinet and during its passa Qe therethrough it becomes saturated with the vapor generated in the cabinet. with the result that the vapor will be diffused throughout the atmosphere of the place where the humidifier is located.

lVhile T have described the principle of the invention together with the structure which I now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made, when desired, as

and provided with a filling opening arranged rearwardly of the deflector, a closure for'said gaging ing the upper edge portion thereof, a pintle passing through the hinged barrel and enportions of said flange, a pan arrange withinthe cabinet and adapted to contain water, and a heating element 'arranged within the cabinet below the an.

In testimony whereof I hereunto a x my signature.

C. C. MoCLOUD.

opening, a pet-cock extending from the lower end of the tank and discharging into the pan, a rod extending from the pet-cockto a point above the deflector, and a heating element arranged within the cabinet below the pan.

2. A humidifier comprisinga cabinet provided at its lower side with an air inlet and at its front side with an air outlet, a deflector arranged within the cabinet and extending from the upper edge of the front side of the cabinet to a point adjacent the lower edge of the rear side of the cabinet, a hinged top for the cabinet, a pan arranged within the cabinet and adapted to contain water, a water supply tank arranged within the cabinet and provided with a filling opening arranged rearwardly of the deflector, a closure for said opening, a pet-cock extending from the lower end of the tank and discharging into the pan, a rod extending from the pet-cock to a point above the deflector, resistance coils arranged within the cabinet below the pan, plug-in and switch boxes arranged within the cabinet above the resistance coils, conduit pipes extending from the boxes to points adjacent the resistance coils, and conductors connected to the resistance coils and extending through the boxes through the pipes.

3. A humidifier comprising a cabinet open at its lower and front sides, a lower bar of U-form extending across the front side of the cabinet, an apertured upper bar extending across the front side ofthe cabinet, a grille having its lower edge arranged in the lower bar and having its upper edge secured to the upper bar, a pan arranged within the cabinet and adapted to contain water, a heating element arranged within the cabinet below the pan, and a deflector extending from the upper edge of the upper bar to a point adjacent the lower bar of the rear side of the cabinet.

4. A humidifier comprising'a cabinet. provided at its lower side with an air inlet and at its front side with an air outlet, the cabinet having a rear side provided with a channel bar portion open at its ends and rear side, said portion havin a horizontal upper flange provided with a hlnged barrel, a top for the cabinet and provided with a flange surround- 

